Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth

Director of Music: Major NJ Grace BMus(Hons) FLCM LRSM RM
Bandmaster: WO1 TP HodgeBMus(Hons) LRSM CTABRSM RM
Drum Major: CSgt Bug SJ Boorah RM

Portsmouth Band returned from their much deserved summer leave (or should we now say ‘absence’ now we are on JPA?), after an extremely busy summer period, with plenty to look forward to. The term began with the first of the Bandmasters’ Winter Concert series, at St Mary’s Church, where the student Bandmasters conducted the wind band in public for the first time in a concert featuring Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of the Nobles, French Impressions by Guy Woolfenden, the Gumsuckers March by Percy Grainger and Nigel Hess’s Global Variations. Alongside preparation for this, our focus was also on preparing for our participation in the Netherlands International Military ‘Ahoy’ Tattoo in Rotterdam. Our reporter from The Hague, Musn John Beckley, continues the story:

The Netherlands Military Tattoo

Bright and early on the morning of Friday 21st September, the lion's share of Portsmouth Band leapt aboard the coach and began their exhilarating trip to Rotterdam. Despite the early hour, the Buglers were soon in high spirits, with music blaring from portable speakers and pickled eggs for anyone who had the nerve to go towards the back of the coach. We made a quick stop in order to buy a phrasebook and European plug adaptors, whilst also taking the opportunity to launch BdCpl Sammy 'Davis Jnr' Haisine's American football around the car park, impressing other fellow travellers with our skills (or not), as we took our last breath of British air for the next ten days.

The coach drove into a huge metal tube, which encapsulated us for our journey under the Channel and in the blink of an eye we were in France. Once on foreign soil we decided to visit the hypermarket for supplies, not knowing what to expect from our Dutch hosts. With crates of Belgian beer and a selection of wines from South America we remounted our trusty multi-wheeled steed and completed the last leg of our journey to arrive in a holiday village near the city of Helvoetsluis. Our accommodation was a series of thatched cottages that combined to produce a baffling maze of comfortable lodgings, amidst which sauntered a picturesque body of water. This was a good start and any thoughts of impending awkward, lengthy rehearsals soon washed away.
On Saturday afternoon, the following day, we took part in a street parade through Rotterdam, a prelude to the tattoo. Highlights included a Dutch bell-lyre band's version of the Eye of the Tiger, in an outrageous nod to films concocted by Sylvester Stallone, plus an incident involving a block of flats, a tomato and the euphonium rank, which kept us all amused! Sorry fellas but you can't fight that… they did try though, with ideas bandied around such as firing something back from their instruments using their superior diaphragmatic muscles, but in the end couldn't decide: was the tomato pushed or did it just fall? We played music suitable for all genders, but we like to refer to it as 'man's music', and as the Dutch spectators warmed to our parade through Rotterdam, we swelled with pride.

Sunday gave us the opportunity to visit the city of Amsterdam, along with the French Navy Band, for the only clear day off we had on the trip. Our trip to Amsterdam coincided with the city centre being closed to traffic due to a series of road races, including 10k runs, cycle races and roller-blading. Huge numbers of athletes were gathering around the streets creating a carnival atmosphere. A marathon had just begun and the opportunity to use one of the al fresco plastic urinals, (presumably erected for over-hydrated runners), was not to be passed by. This set the tone for the day in a city, which is set in a beautifully constructed series of waterways and is comfortable with the basic functions of life!

Rehearsals started the next day at the 'Ahoy' Arena, with the Dutch Marine Band, the French Navy Band and ourselves moulding together to create an impressive introduction to the show. The theme for the combined performance was a celebration of Michiel Adriaenszoon De Ruyter, born 24th March 1607, who became Commander in Chief for the Dutch Naval Forces and is regarded as 'the hero of the Netherlands' or as one Dutch marine put it, "He's our Nelson". This involved a piece of music written by a sousaphone player from the Dutch Band, which started with exemplary precision, in every performance, by our fanfare trumpeters. We slow marched on during the fanfare, which led to a quieter woodwind section, during which the brass ominously crept forward to find position for the end of the piece. Another march was played to clear the arena of musicians during which all hell broke loose as Dutch French horn players desperately scrambled for gaps amidst a sea of hips and elbows. You could almost mark your part as to when you'd feel brass in your kidneys.
Our second contribution to the Tattoo was the most important as we'd have the chance to perform our own routine, masterminded by none other than Corps Drum Major WO1 James 'he's the greatest dancer' Whitwham. We indulged the Dutch and treated them to some diagonal marching in diamond formation during Pirates of the Caribbean, which led to the buglers’ defining moment as Bugs Matt 'Hot Sticks' Abbott and Kerry 'Smooth Sticks' Silk led the crisp, rousing drum static, whilst the rest of the Corps of Drums provided ripple-effect stick work that prompted the biggest cheer of every performance. 'Mac' McDermott’s Seafarers followed and facilitated the forming of the Band into the chevron. It was the Dutch band’s turn next and their drummers came on to 'do battle' with ours. At this point, a massive model ship was gliding around the area with an actor, playing the part of Admiral De Ruyter, on board looking very important. Someone forgot to tell the Band that there were going to be some extremely loud bangs from the ship’s canons and we all visibly jumped at the deafening explosions from De Ruyter's broadside! They continued with Wagner's The Flying Dutchman and banished us from the arena.

Portsmouth Band in the Ahoy Arena

Major Nick Grace conducts at the Netherlands Military Tattoo

Another masterpiece from the pen of 'Mac' McDermott featured in the finale in the form of the aptly titled Admiral De Ruyter March, which was a vehicle to involve all three Navy and Marines bands. The finale provided some comedy moments as the trombones were entrusted with the frontage of the Band, which led to BdCSgt Paul 'Mr. P.C' Bateman, verbally reeling in a couple of wayward sections. No tattoo is complete without bagpipes and the Delta Police Pipe Band from Canada proved to be not only generous drinking partners, but swell pipers too.

To our unashamed delight, we were awarded the coveted 'keg of beer' award that is presented to the act that were the most helpful, polite and respectful to others throughout the Tattoo in the eyes of the stage crew. "Nev, get the CD's out" was the thankful repost. We were looked after extremely well and it was an invaluable time for the Band to get away and get to know each other better. Thanks to Musn Simon Badge from RMSoM for lugging the double Bb bass around and hope you enjoyed the experience, and to Bd CSgt Dave Matthews and Musn Hannah Bennett for stepping in to bolster the clarinet section.

Musn John Beckley

Musn Rachel Bucklay gives the Corps Birthday Citation from memory

Major Nick Grace and Musn Rachel Buckley cut the Corps Birthday Cake

Hot on the heels of this successful tour to Rotterdam, five members of the Portsmouth Band would not be returning with the others to the UK as they were to fly from Amsterdam the following day to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. Our next reporter, many congratulations to the newly married Musn Kathryn Harris, takes up story of the ‘Japanese Five’:

Brass Quintet Trip to Japan

As the majority of Portsmouth Band headed back for the UK in the early hours of October 1st, the adventure had only just begun for the brass quintet (BdSgts Doug Scott and Russ Young and Musns Nick Bailey, John Beckley and Kathryn Harris) who were off to Japan! After saying farewell to our instruments, as they were thrown onto the fragile trolley, we searched high and low for a cafe where Doug could at last enjoy a bowl of Kellogg’s cereal. A twelve-hour flight saw us touchdown in Tokyo Narita Airport, where we were met by our host Mr Yamazaki, who travelled the remaining five-hour drive with us to the Tateshina Heights District of Negano, high up in the mountains.

The quintet with their host Mr Yamazaki

The following day, armed with John’s phrasebook and our “hellos” and “thank yous” mastered, we were to visit the Barakura English Garden where we would be performing in the Tateshina Heights Harvest Festival. There, waiting to greet us with endless supplies of delicious home-made cakes and scones, was Miss Kay Yamada (a leading Japanese TV gardener who has won two silver awards at the Chelsea Flower Show) accompanied by her family and the entirety of her garden staff. This was only the tip of the iceberg as throughout our stay we were treated like royalty, residing in a posh hotel with the use of a spa (in it every night without fail) and eight course meals of traditional Japanese cuisine which to Nick’s dismay included lots of raw fish (all the more for us)! We were delighted to accept an invitation to a meal with the Yamada family and their close friends celebrating the success of the Festival (it was probably a good job we didn’t realise we were going to be expected to eat raw egg and mushroom mousse), and we were entertained by a Japanese comedian singer/songwriter who seemed to make everyone laugh at our expense but nobody would tell us why!

One of the culinary delights in Japan

A fashion show exhibiting Miss Kay Yamada’s latest clothes designs modelled on beautiful Japanese women (far too young to be wearing them) was a very popular aspect of the Festival, although we suspect the main reason for this was in anticipation for the finale where, arm-in-arm with the models, the brass quintet strutted their stuff down the catwalk (and after seeing ourselves on the video footage it was obvious we were all born to do it). Our final musical performances included the thrust of a baton into the unsuspecting guest conductor’s hand: Mr Yamazaki, John the gardener and Mr Eugene Yamada who all had various degrees of potential for the next Bandmasters' Course (we think Mr Yamazaki has already done it) but none of the quintet could have been quite prepared for the rousing performance of a rather special Pomp and Circumstance, conducted by Mr Eugene Yamada who, I must add, is still in possession of Russ’s baton!

As the trip drew to a close, laden with gifts and full with scones, we said a teary goodbye to all at the Barakura English Garden and hopped on the bullet train, where we were treated to spectacular views, no air conditioning and a funny feeling in our stomachs. Once in Tokyo, and settled into our tiny hotel rooms high into the skyline, we hit the town, exploring as much as we could before stopping for what we thought was an innocent burger to set ourselves up for the night ahead. As we entered the burger bar we realised all was not as it should be and found ourselves being interviewed for a Japanese TV programme in which they recorded “nice buns” as John’s apt description of the food. A salsa bar saw us through into the early hours of the morning where all five of us had a jolly good time dancing our socks off, who needs lessons?!

Frolicks in the Hotel room

We were brought down to earth with a bump for the remaining two days as we found ourselves sleeping on board HMS Monmouth (stand by McWhinney) where the boys bedded down in eighteen man messes and I had to cope with an en-suite all to myself, sickbay! Here we provided entertainment to an appreciative crew for their twenty-third cocktail party that saw them into the seventh month of their nine-month world tour. And then it was homeward bound; thanks to Mr Yamazaki who became a great friend to us and all at Barakura English Garden for looking after us so well. Thanks also to Doug, Russ, Nick and John for such a fun trip, can we go again?!

Musn Kathryn Harris

Home

Thank you to our reporters John and Kathryn for taking the time to provide an insight into two of our more interesting engagements from this term. There is never enough space to mention everything, but with compulsory fiz (that’s physical training for the uninitiated), Harrison’s Dream (a very challenging piece to be conducted by Professor David King at the third Winter Concert), the bonus ball, Eva’s Bodyshop parties and Christmas concerts on the horizon (hang on where’s the accordion?) we should be tucking into our roast turkey dinners in no time. Thanks to Musn Sandra Jones of Dartmouth Band for joining us this term, we hope you enjoyed your time with us and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all from the ‘Royal Band’.

Kathryn (Portsmouth) and Chris Harris (Plymouth Band) on their wedding day 11 August 2007

Portsmouth Corps of Drums

As I write my last article for Portsmouth Corps of Drums, before I hand over the pen of office to Canny, I’d like to let you know what we’ve been up to in these last few months. As usual we’ve been busy providing buglers for funerals and, as always supporting plenty of RNPTs (Royal Navy Presentation Teams ).

This term saw the build up to Remembrance weekend, with the highlight being the Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance. This year saw us working with Katherine Jenkins for our finale. Our performance went down well with the audiences on both shows even though the BBC cut out the fanfare at the start of our display for the television performance. The Corps of Drums were also involved in another display, this time working with a new, young and up and coming singer called Tori White, but sadly the BBC also cut that from the TV coverage. The buglers were then involved in the Sunset and the Drumhead Service. I’d personally like to thank everybody who sent me a text after my ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’ had been on TV. It’s good to know buglers will never change.

The following day saw us stood at the cenotaph, during which the two-minutes silence was spoilt by demonstrators heckling the Prime Minister. Also I’m sure the March Past gets longer each year.
The Monday saw us heading off to HMS Bulwark for the launch of the RNPT’s Tour. We recently had a Mess Beatings at RAF Innsworth and were told we would require ultra-violet sticks as they had UV lights and wanted us to perform a block light show. The gig went well but I think more could have been achieved if the UV light had been placed in front of us!

The Corps of Drums get the UV treatment

As I write this article we are preparing our rigs for mine and Matt’s leaving run which is also the buglers’ Christmas run, so standby. Pictures to follow in the next issue (by Webmaster: Sorry, they should be here but were unsuitable for public display!).

Leavers and Joiners

We have a few movers this term with Jim Christopher heading over to the School as an Instructor to replace Scouse who is joining Portsmouth. Matt is off to Plymouth to boast the takings of “The Wheelers”. I’ve eventually got my draft out of Portsmouth and am heading down to Dartmouth to take up the role of Assistant Drum Major. Chris Bray is also joining us from Plymouth and Sean joining from BRNC.

As I bring this article to a close, I’d like to say a big thank you to everybody who made my family and myself welcome when I first came down here some time ago. So, as I now hand this job to Canny, I’d like to wish all members of the Buglers’ Branch, past and present, a very merry Christmas and best wishes for 2008.
So until next time
Roger Out

Warmy

Last updated May 2008